Today we are sharing how to make a very simple, tasty, and fast Italian Icing. You can use this on everything you bake, we do!
Growing up I spent very special times with my grandmother, her name was Gramma Santa.
My Gramma knew cooking like a cookbook on a shelf, backward, forwards and upside down and I believe she concocted new recipes daily.
A very talented lady in so many ways and I was so fortunate to have her in my life.
Gramma Santa’s food’s ranged from easy to difficult.
When she prepared Italian cookies she always made an impressive icing, or maybe it was just because I was young, enamored and could not believe how good this bowl of icing was!
My Gramma would sit me on the counter. I would watch her prepare Simple Italian Icing For Every Baked Dessert.
WOW! A little sprinkle of this icing just made everything taste better from chopped berries to Italian cookies.
Lavishly live simple Italian icing out loud, one that will work on almost anything you can dish it with.
SIMPLE ITALIAN ICING FOR EVERY BAKED DESSERT TIPS
First things first, a few tips and tricks before I provide this recipe.
1) When the recipe offers you to use the amounts of powdered sugar (confectioners), go light on the measuring and add-in.
Thus, you are in control of how thick or thin the consistency is. Note that it is so much easier to make it thinner than to make it thicker.
Less liquid is better and it will be thicker to spread, yet it will dry quicker.
2) Is there a difference between milk and water? I have used both with about the same results.
Please note when I do this, I was using Skim Milk or Water as a sub, so if you sub in different milk you might have a different result.
3) Use this recipe on fruit, pies, cookies, ice cream, strudels and so much more.
Drizzle the icing, making it thin or thicker according to the dessert you are serving.
For a bundt cake, you would want thicker icing that you can drizzle, but won’t run.
Conversely, for a strudel you would want thinner icing and for berries, a bit thicker so the berry can be coated, or you might want it thinner for dipping!
4) I consider this my Simple Italian Icing for Every Dessert.
Why? Because each time I make it I add one of the following flavorings which are truly used in so many Italian desserts: Anise, Lemon, & Almond.
The recipe, however, can be tweaked for almost ANY flavor with simple extracts, it is that easy to use.
The Simple Italian Icing For Every Dessert
Confectionery Sugar really makes this icing perfect. The sprinkles make it lively.
You can adjust the color of the sprinkles to match any occasion.
Remember when adding milk, it makes it thinner, not thicker, so add a tablespoon at a time.
There are no limits to the flavoring. Italian icing however rangers from Lemon, to Anise or Vanilla.
METHOD
Mix Sugar, Milk, and Extract until it forms a smooth glaze.
Add in confectionery sugar just a bit at a time, until you reach the thick or thin consistency you are looking for (remember this will dry on the cookie).
You can divide this mixture into a few separate bowls and make smaller batches with food coloring in order to have a few different looks.
Dunk top of cookie in or paint it on with a brush or spoon to top with icing.
Want the recipe for the Best Italian Lemon Drops in the photo?
PRINT RECIPE HERE
Simple Italian Icing For Every Baked Dessert
Ingredients
- 2 C of Confectionery Sugar
- 3 Tbsp Of Milk 6 more TBSP in reserve to make thin or thicker as desired
- 1 tsp of Lemon Anise or Vanilla Extract- depending on the flavor YOU want
- Nonpareils to top
Instructions
- Mix Sugar, Milk, and Extract until it forms a smooth glaze.
- Add in confectionery sugar just a bit at a time, until you reach the thick or thin consistency you are looking for (remember this will dry on the cookie).
- You can divide this mixture in a few separate bowls and make smaller batches with food coloring in order to have a few different looks.
- Dunk top of cookie in or paint it on with a brush or spoon to top with icing.
IF you are baking Italian Cookies, basic cakes, serving fruit, you will love this icing, it is so versatile and really delicious.
You don’t need to keep much in the house to create it, and most of us have confectionery sugar stored.
The simplicity, as well as the mix in of the nonpareils, create what I consider to be the supreme recipe for Simple Italian Icing For Every Baked Dessert.
Lavishly live icing out loud with this simple Italian icing and of course love on the fact that nonpareils are now no longer all over your kitchen and house!
Let me know how this turns out and how you tweak it. ~ Dana